The plot thickens in the case of Sony vs. GeoHot. George Hotz's lawyer, Stewart Kellar, rejected Sony's claims that Hotz fled the US for South America and that he had failed to turn in requested components."The notion that George has fled the country is absurd. George is in South America to see a friend, on a trip he planned before this lawsuit ever began. George has had to make himself available 24/7 for this litigation, which has been quite demanding on him," he told Ars.

Apparently you can't take a vacation from a lawsuit, GeoHot has been in constant contact with his lawyer while on vacation. Keller also wanted to clarify that Hotz was not using any donated money for his trip, "It should be noted that the donation money George has received is being used exclusively for his legal defense. If there are any funds left after the lawsuit, George is planning to donate the money to the EFF."

Sony's filings yesterday also implied GeoHot had tampered with the hard drives he was supposed to turn in, a claim Keller thought was misleading.

"SCEA's lawyers are using intentionally ambiguous language so that the public, and the Court, might assume the worst. The 'components' SCEA is talking about are hard drives' controller cards. The neutral [third party examining the drives] subsequently had to explain to SCEA the form and function of hard drive controller cards," Kellar also told Ars. "It is a stock part that can be purchased at any electronics hardware store. Those controller cards have since been provided to the neutral so the point is moot."

Factually, it's true I'm in South America, on a vacation I've had planned and paid for since November. I mean, it is Spring break; hacking isn't my life. Rest assured that not a dime of legal defense money would ever go toward something like this. And of course Townsend loves the idea of painting me as an international fugitive. I have been in contact with my lawyers almost every day; I would not let the case suffer. That said, I also won't let this ridiculous lawsuit run my life either. Then the fearmongerers win.

I will be back, I hear it's hard to come by the Xperia Play down here.

I suspected he was just on vacation, you can't exactly flee a civil suit.